My dad put in some long weeks too RT.  Tough dangerous work to say the least.  
These are the same people who have been warned time and again and still live there.   You feel bad, but most knew the risks going in. 
I work in a Hospital so you don't have to tell me twice about suffering and counting your blessings.   I do every day.

If  Govt really had the guts--NO building permits for anything ruined- just a question of time till the next "event".
 Ya can eventually replace 'stuff- but folks die in those things.
 Was in New Orleans a long time after the floods- lots of folks simply left- huge areas of just grass where many houses used to be-guess they had enough of living BELOW  sea level.
  Hard lessons-or perhaps a dose of common sense.